


Conversations Between a Father and Son

by zorilleerrant



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 10:14:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6325039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zorilleerrant/pseuds/zorilleerrant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reasons for leaving the Diary with Ginny that make more sense</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fear

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“I have no idea.”

“Why’d you put it in, then?”

“Tell me, Draco, how many dark artifacts do I own?”

“None.”

“Yes, yes, very good, Draco, now, how many dark artifacts do I actually own?”

“Lots.”

“And do I know what they do?”

“Yes.”

“And that one?”

“No.”

“And you don’t find that terrifying?”


	2. Framing Weasley

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“Some dark artifact.”

“Won’t they tell everyone it’s yours, though?”

“And how would they know that?”

“Oh. You think they didn’t see you put it in?”

“Of course they would have seen me put it in, Draco; they’re enormously suspicious of everything I do; they would have been watching very carefully. Proving it is a different matter.”

“Couldn’t they turn it in?”

“Yes, they could. And then it’s Arthur Weasley’s word against Lucius Malfoy’s, and who do you think is going to win that argument?”

“Is this just to get rid of it, though? I mean, couldn’t you, have, I don’t know, just thrown it away, if you don’t want the Ministry to find it?”

“Draco, I’m very disappointed that you think the Ministry is that close to raiding the Manor. I do have more clout than that. No matter who Weasley pressures on Dumbledore’s behalf.”

“What’s the point in giving it to him, then? I mean, now he knows for sure you have some.”

“He knew already, Draco; confirming his suspicions loses us nothing. Now, however, what does he have in his possession?”

“A dark artifact.”

“And what are his choices concerning that item?”

“He could throw it away, or turn it in, or keep it.”

“What happens if he throws it away?”

“Well, then it would just be gone, Father, I don’t see – ooh, do you have a reporter following him? To catch him, if he does?”

“Yes, Draco. A photographer.”

“That would look very suspicious.”

“Good. Now. What happens if he turns it in?”

“People wonder where he got a dark artifact and if he has more and if he’s claiming it’s yours just to throw shadows on your good name?”

“And what happens if he keeps it?”

“You – you give someone an anonymous tip?”

“Close, Draco, but do guess something a bit more subtle.”

“You. I don’t know. You mention how his aura is starting to look dark?”

“Very good, Draco.”

“What if he uses shielding charms?”

“Oh, yes? What if he does?”

“Oh. I suppose aurors must be able to detect those, too.”

“What is the end result of any of these possibilities?”

“They begin to suspect they should investigate him, and that anyone he implicates may be a distraction, or worse, framed. But, Father, you said they weren’t even close to a raid.”

“It’s important to play the long game, Draco, you know that.”


	3. Firing Dumbledore

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“I’m not certain; it only came with the label ‘Opens the Chamber of Secrets’.”

“That would be an awful threat to Hogwarts, wouldn’t it?”

“An awful threat to Dumbledore’s tenure, certainly.”

“I wouldn’t be in danger, would I?”

“There was only one death, last time, not a pureblood, not Slytherin. Who knows, Draco, perhaps you yourself are the Heir of Slytherin?”

“Why did you have to give it to her, though? I could have brought it.”

“No, Draco, only someone Dumbledore trusts enough not to search can bring it into Hogwarts. Your head of house informs me that not only does Dumbledore perform a full sweep the first night after you’ve returned, but maintains devices to monitor you at all times.”

“What, in case we’re evil? Or…something…something less proprietous?”

“I really don’t know, Draco, but, in either case, it’s not the sort of man we’d like running a school, now is it?”


	4. Threat

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“Just a little threat.”

“Couldn’t you just tell them whatever you’re threatening them? Like, that the Ministry will hear about – I don’t know, the Weasleys must do something.”

“Subtlety, Draco.”

“I don’t think they noticed. That’s too subtle, then, isn’t it?”

“Draco, what’s the very first thing I do when we get home from shopping, even before we enter the house?”

“You scan me for anything dangerous that someone might have planted on me, and then scan all of our purchases to make sure there’s nothing hidden or fraudulent.”

“Do you think any wizard who knows those spells would be less careful with his own children?”

“I thought you said everyone knew those spells.”

“Certainly most do.”

“So, he’ll find it right away, then?”

“Yes. I’m sure he’ll understand the message.”


	5. Saving the Children

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“Something dark. I’m not sure what it does, but it should start working sometime shortly after she returns to Hogwarts.”

“Why do you want to make her sick? It’s not like she’s a threat. She’s only a first year.”

“Harry Potter defeated He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named as an infant, Draco; don’t underestimate people based on age.”

“So she is a threat.”

“No. Not everything is about threats to the House of Malfoy. Some things are, as in this case, about threats to the House of Weasley.”

“…us?”

“No. In this case, Arthur and Molly Weasley.”

“They _are_ the House of Weasley, though.”

“Not so. A House lies in its Legacy, Draco, my heir.”

“Then why do you want to hurt their Legacy?”

“There has to be clear enough cause to take away their children, love, and I think nothing short of dark magic poisoning will hold more sway than that old fool’s word.”

“Won’t they just blame you?”

“It doesn’t matter who they blame. The fact that they allowed their daughter to return to school with a dark object of unknown origin showcases their neglect. And the fact that the headmaster allowed it to happen right under his nose will question his competence, as well.”

“You really think they won’t check, ever, between now and when she goes to school?”

“Draco, love, you’re really too young to be thinking about these things.”

“I am not!”

“Alright, then. Their oldest works for Gringotts. You know how rare it is for them to work with wizards at all – now imagine what they must pay him. Yet he can’t afford to visit his family?”

“Maybe he’s busy.”

“Their second moved to Romania to work with dragons.”

“Why Romania?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? Scotland has one of the best dragon preserves in the world. Why travel to such a remote location that it’s hard even to keep in touch?”

“Maybe he doesn’t like the British breeds, then.”

“Their next goes to Hogwarts with you.”

“I’ve seen him. He’s a prefect. Horribly strict, always takes off points from everyone, even the Gryffindors, but I guess that’s fair, though, at least.”

“Have you seen how his siblings treat him?”

“Well, yeah, but he’s a prat, though.”

“Have you ever watched his parents intervene when their child is being ridiculed?”

“Of course, I mean, sometimes, after it stops being funny.”

“It should never be funny to watch someone be cruel to your child, Draco.”

“Oh. No, I guess not, then.”

“And the youngest two always look disheveled.”

“Yeah, but, I mean, they’re poor, though. Wouldn’t you expect poor hygiene?”

“They can’t tell their own twins apart.”

“So? Nobody can tell them apart.”

“I assure you, Draco, it is not normal for parents to be unable to differentiate their own children.”

“Couldn’t you just say, though? Dumbledore doesn’t want anyone to hurt kids. They wouldn’t let him be headmaster if he did.”

“I think he may not grasp the concept, sweetheart.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Longbottom heir, Neville. He’s in your class. He flinches whenever someone so much as looks at him.”

“I know. He can’t even talk without stuttering on every other word. More, if he’s upset.”

“That is not indicative of a healthy upbringing, Draco. Longbottom should not be afraid of everyone he meets. Dumbledore is protecting whoever instilled that fear in him.”

“He’s probably just a nervous person.”

“Did you know that he sent Harry Potter to be raised by muggles? Who knows what those creatures did to him. The boy stares, wide-eyed, every time he sees food.”

“I stare at Florean’s, too.”

“Oh? So he doesn’t behave the same way at school?”

“…yeah, but so do a lot of people. The tables look pretty amazing.”

“What I tell you next, you are not to repeat to anyone.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Severus appealed to Dumbledore for help several times through his school years, and was always summarily dismissed.”

“What?”

“He is not the only one.”

“That’s impossible. I mean, I know he’s not – but – that’s impossible.”

“People have been blinded by his defeat of Grindelwald. Being a great man does not make you a good man, and being a good man certainly does not make you competent.”

“Is this going to help, then?”

“We shall see, Draco. We shall see.”


	6. Disposal

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“One of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named’s horcruxes.”

“What’s a horcrux?”

“It’s one of the darkest magics imaginable. It’s a shard of his soul.”

“Why’d you give it to the Weasleys, then?”

“I don’t know, Draco, maybe so they could get rid of it?”

“But, when the Dark Lord comes back –”

“Okay, one, Draco, please say ‘if’, and two, don’t call him the Dark Lord in public, it makes me sound evil.”

“Wouldn’t he be upset, though?”

“I don’t know, maybe we gave it to them so it would possess the little one, and she could go around the school terrorizing all the mudbloods or resurrect him or something!”

“Oh.”

“Yes, quite.”

“Do you think that’ll really happen?”

“No. Her father works for the Ministry. There’s no way he doesn’t know what to do with a cursed magical object.”

“But what if it possesses him, or something?”

“You know he’s a member of the Order of the Phoenix, right, Draco? The group who fought the Death Eaters during the war? The ones who orchestrated the defeat of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? I’m pretty sure they can handle a piece of a soul that’s powerless to do anything unless you’re stupid enough to start talking to it all the time.”


	7. Peace and Quiet

“Father?”

“Yes, Draco?”

“What did you put in Weasley’s cauldron?”

“Something that radiates dark magic very unsubtly, though I don’t know that it does anything.”

“Won’t that set off their wards as soon as they get home?”

“Oh, heavens, if it did that, they might think they were under attack and stop bothering me all the time! How awful, I might actually be able to get some work done.”


End file.
